Title: Experimental investigation on the surface tension and contact angle of Al₂O₃-oil and SiO₂-oil nanofluids

Authors: Yue Li; Weilin Zhao; Yuying Gong

Addresses: School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong 250022, China ' School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong 250022, China ' School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong 250022, China

Abstract: The experimental results regarding the surface tension and contact angle of Al₂O₃-oil and SiO₂-oil nanofluids with 0.1%~1.0% volume fraction at the temperature of 25°C~65°C are presented. The measurements illustrate that the surface tension is improved and the contact angle is reduced compared with oil based liquid. At the temperature of 25°C, for 0.5% volume fraction with 60 nm nanoparticles size, the enhancement of the surface tension is about 4.11% for Al₂O₃-oil nanofluids and 6.79% for SiO₂-oil nanofluids. Corresponding, the weakening of the contact angle is 37.93% and 27.59%. In addition, the experimental profiles of the surface tension of Al₂O₃-oil and SiO₂-oil nanofluids indicate that they fall with temperature, and inversely rise with the increasing of volume fraction and nanoparticles size. And the contact angle of the two kinds of nanofluids increase with nanoparticles size, whereas decrease with the increase in volume fraction. All demonstrate that the wetting properties are modified when Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ nanoparticles are added into oil based liquid. Furthermore, the experimental phenomena are thoroughly analysed.

Keywords: Al₂O₃-oil nanofluids; SiO₂-oil nanofluids; surface tension; contact angle.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2019.097241

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2019 Vol.15 No.1/2, pp.80 - 91

Received: 04 May 2017
Accepted: 26 Oct 2017
Published online: 07 Jan 2019 *

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